Vanilla Cake With Raspberry Filling Recipe
This Vanilla Cake with Raspberry Filling recipe features soft, fluffy vanilla cake layers filled with a tangy raspberry compote. The cake is frosted with a smooth buttercream and decorated with fresh raspberries. It’s a perfect balance of sweet and tart for a delicious, elegant dessert.
Equipment
- Electric mixer or stand mixer
- 2 mixing bowls
- Rubber spatula
- Cake pans (two 9-inch round)
- Cooling rack
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Offset spatula (for frosting)
- Saucepan (if making homemade compote)
Ingredients
For the Vanilla Cake:
- 2 ½ cups cake flour sifted twice
- 1 cup whole milk at room temperature
- 1 ½ sticks ¾ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into cubes
- 1 whole egg at room temperature
- 4 large egg whites at room temperature
- ¼ teaspoon lemon extract
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 ¼ tablespoons baking powder
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
- ¾ teaspoon salt
For the Raspberry Compote Filling:
- 1 batch Simple Raspberry Compote homemade or store-bought
For the Raspberry Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 ½ cups 3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
Preheat and Prepare the Pans
- Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans, or line them with parchment paper to make removing the cakes easier after baking.
Cream Butter and Sugar
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar together with an electric mixer on medium speed until the mixture is pale and fluffy. This should take about 3 to 4 minutes and helps create a light texture in the finished cake.
Add Eggs and Flavorings
- Crack in the whole egg, then add the egg whites one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla bean paste and lemon extract until everything is just combined.
Mix the Dry Ingredients
- In a separate bowl, sift the cake flour, baking powder, and salt. For a finer texture, sift the mixture twice.
Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients
- With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in three parts, alternating with the milk. Start and finish with the flour mixture. Mix only until the ingredients are blended—over mixing can make the cake dense.
Bake the Cakes
- Evenly divide the batter between the two prepared pans and smooth the tops with a spatula. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes before turning them out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Prepare the Frosting
- In a clean bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar, followed by the salt. Continue to beat until the frosting is light and fluffy. If it’s too soft, place it in the fridge for 10 to 15 minutes to firm up slightly.
Assemble the Cake
- Once the cakes have cooled, set one layer on your serving plate. Spread a layer of raspberry compote over the top, then add a layer of the cream cheese frosting. Place the second cake layer on top and cover the top and sides with the remaining frosting. Use an offset spatula to smooth it out, and decorate as you like.
Notes
1. Be sure the cakes are completely cooled before assembling; otherwise, the raspberry filling and frosting might melt and make a mess.
2. If you don’t have time to make the raspberry filling from scratch, you can use store-bought raspberry jam or preserves as a shortcut.
3. You can make the components of the cake (cake layers, raspberry filling, and frosting) a day ahead and store them separately in the fridge. Just assemble the cake on the day you plan to serve it.